The present invention relates to an apparatus and system for operating a retractable vehicle top with an attached rear quarter window.
Retractable tops for vehicles may be xe2x80x9csoft topxe2x80x9d convertible tops or retractable hard tops. One disadvantage of a retractable hard top is that the linkage used to drive the top between its top up position and its stowed position requires a considerable amount of space within the body of the vehicle when the top is in its stowed position. The top is generally stowed in a top storage well located behind the rear most vehicle seats. The top stack linkage for a retractable hard top requires a substantial amount of space outboard of the rear most vehicle seats in the location where the rear quarter windows are normally stored for a hard top vehicle.
The rear quarter window of a soft top convertible, a sedan or coupe is normally operated by a manual or power actuated drive system that moves the window downwardly into the body of the vehicle to retract and upwardly to cover the window opening. Windows of the xe2x80x9croll downxe2x80x9d variety normally ride in tracks that extend vertically in the body of the vehicle outboard of the vehicle seats. Roll down windows may be operated by a passenger to open the window. Roll down rear quarter windows are difficult to provide with a retractable hard top because of the space required adjacent the rear most seats for storage of the retractable hard top linkage mechanism. Space limitations generally preclude the use of roll down windows with a retractable hard top because of the need to use this space for the retractable hard top linkage system.
It has been proposed to provide a rear quarter window that is carried by the retractable top. One such system is disclosed in German Patent DE 43 20 468 C1, wherein the rear window is provided with an extension and retraction mechanism that requires a separate drive linkage for the rear quarter window. While this system has its advantages, the need to provide a separate drive linkage makes this system somewhat more complex and costly. In addition, it is necessary to coordinate opening and closing of the roof with the separate drive mechanism used for retraction and extension of the rear quarter window.
The above problems are addressed by the present invention as summarized below.
According to the present invention, a retractable hard top and rear quarter window are provided in combination for a vehicle. A roof is formed by a front roof section and a rear roof section that are pivotally connected to each other. The roof is moveable by a top stack drive between a top up position wherein the roof covers a passenger compartment and a stowed position wherein the passenger compartment is uncovered. The two sections of the roof are adjoining in the top up position and are folded together in the stowed position. The roof includes a linkage having right and left balance links. Right and left brackets are attached directly or indirectly to right and left sides of the vehicle body. Each balance link pivotally connects a respective side of the front roof assembly to one of the right and left brackets. A window pivot bracket is attached to the rear quarter window and pivotally connects the rear quarter window to the balance link. A quarter window control link is attached to the window pivot bracket to cause the rear quarter window to be rotated inwardly as the top is moved from the top up position to the stowed position by the quarter window control link. The control link acts on the rear quarter window to pivot the rear quarter window on the balance link.
According to other aspects of the present invention, at the beginning of stowage cycle, the quarter window control link lifts the rear quarter window above a belt line of the vehicle. The rear quarter window is rotated inwardly by the quarter window control link to a generally horizontal orientation between the front and rear roof sections when they are in their stowed position. The quarter window control link is a bar having an outboard end and an inboard end. The bar is connected on the outboard end to the window pivot bracket and on the inboard end the bar is connected to the rear roof section or another member moveable in association with the rear roof section.
The apparatus of the present invention is applicable to retractable hard tops wherein the front and rear sections are substantially rigid members.
The present invention also relates to a method of retracting and deploying right and left rear quarter windows of a retractable vehicle roof. The system for retracting the rear quarter windows includes providing a retractable vehicle roof having a front roof section and a rear roof section. A top stack drive is operatively connected to the vehicle roof. The top stack drive lowers the retractable roof from a top up position to a stowed position. The front roof section is folded over the rear roof section by the top stack drive as it is retracted. Right and left balance links connect right and left side of the front roof section to right and left brackets that are attached to right and left sides of the vehicle. Right and left rear quarter windows are pivotally connected to the right and left balance links respectively. Right and left rear quarter windows are pivoted on right and left balance links in an inboard direction as the retractable roof is lowered. Right and left quarter windows are moved from a position spanning the space between the belt line of the vehicle and the roof to a position wherein the right and left quarter windows are generally horizontally disposed between the front roof section and the rear roof section. The system for deploying the right and left rear quarter windows of a retractable vehicle roof is essentially reversal of the steps required to retract the right and left rear quarter windows as the vehicle roof is deployed.
According to another aspect of the method of the present invention the right and left rear quarter windows are connected by right and left quarter window control links, respectively, and to the rear roof section. The method further comprises moving the rear roof section to cause the rear quarter window control links to pivot right and left rear quarter windows on the balance links.